Story, Louvier Kindo Tombe
Cradling her 9-month-old baby, Estelle Njuele Ngah reflects on a painful memory from her school days — a time when a fallen sanitary pad exposed her to ridicule and left her feeling ashamed and powerless. Today, she has transformed that experience into Men Safe, a portable, affordable, and discreet menstrual hygiene kit that is helping girls across Cameroon manage their periods with dignity.
“I want girls to feel confident, not ashamed,” Estelle said. “Men Safe is more than a kit, it’s a way for young girls to take control of their lives and health.”
Men Safe is more than a simple pouch. Each kit contains sanitary pads, a small bar of soap, intimate wipes, a clean cloth, and a discreet resealable pouch for used products. Every item is carefully selected to allow girls to manage their period hygienically and privately, while the compact design makes it easy to carry in a school bag or backpack. It is made entirely of local materials. By combining practicality with discretion, Men Safe helps girls feel prepared, confident, and safe, even in schools or communities where menstruation is still stigmatized.
A simple solution for a widespread problem
In many communities, menstruation remains stigma-laden and poorly supported, and girls often lack access to safe and private menstrual products. This can lead to absenteeism, embarrassment, and health risks. Men Safe addresses these challenges directly.
“Girls shouldn’t have to hide or skip school because of their period,” Estelle said. “With Men Safe, they don’t have to.”
One young girl, Amina from Yaoundé, shared her experience using the kit: “Before Men Safe, I was always scared my pads would be noticed, and I sometimes skipped school. Now I feel safe and confident, it has really changed how I live my day-to-day life.”
From personal experience to innovation
After her humiliating school incident, Estelle began working on Men Safe three years ago, ensuring that it was practical, culturally appropriate, and easy to use.
“I wanted every girl to have what I didn’t, a way to feel safe and confident during her period,” she explained.
Her efforts culminated in recognition at the Menstrual Hygiene Management Kit Design Contest, organised by Local Youth Corner Cameroon (LOYOC) in partnership with UNFPA Cameroon. Out of thirty applicants, eight were shortlisted, and three young women were awarded for their innovative designs. Estelle won first prize with Men Safe, while Ngwe Elenore received first runner-up for My Period, My Pride, and Aboulou Nancy was second runner-up for Daily Flow Kits.
“This initiative celebrates creativity that directly improves the lives of adolescent girls,” said Achalake Christian Leke, National Coordinator of LOYOC. “It is about access, confidence, and dignity.”
Scaling solutions for impact
UNFPA Cameroon, represented by Lydie Manguele, pledged continued support to the winners. “We will work with them to improve and scale their products, so every girl can access safe, dignified menstrual hygiene,” she said.
The contest was judged on portability, practicality, ease of disposal, and use of local materials, ensuring that each kit offered a real, usable solution to the everyday challenges faced by girls.
Now, Estelle hopes to expand production to reach thousands more girls, but she faces a challenge: the cost of large-scale manufacturing. “I need financial support to make Men Safe available to more girls across Cameroon,” she said. “With funding, we can produce the kits in bulk and truly make a difference.”
Dignity designed
For Estelle, Men Safe represents both personal triumph and social impact. “If one girl can go to school, participate fully, and feel proud because of this kit, then all the work was worth it,” she said.
From a school corridor marked by shame to a national contest stage, and now reaching communities across Cameroon, Men Safe demonstrates how practical innovation can break stigma, restore dignity, and give girls the confidence to thrive.
